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Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

It can be college or pro, and please elaborate on your pick. I go with Larry Brown for his ability to rebuild teams from crap to champ with such consistency. He is the only coach to win at the NCAA and NBA level, and I saw his work first hand with the Pacers.

“Seventy percent of me talking on the court is personally for me to get me
motivated and going. Thirty percent is to see if I can get into the opponent’s head.”Reggie Miller

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

It can be college or pro, and please elaborate on your pick. I go with Larry Brown for his ability to rebuild teams from crap to champ with such consistency. He is the only coach to win at the NCAA and NBA level, and I saw his work first hand with the Pacers.

Robert Montgomery Knight and he taught Coach K everything he knows.......

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

Bobby "Slick" Leonard! (However Bobby Knight changed the way basketball is played. Before him few teams played "in your face" defense, now it's a staple.") Slick constantly overachieved with the teams he had.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

Bobby "Slick" Leonard! (However Bobby Knight changed the way basketball is played. Before him few teams played "in your face" defense, now it's a staple.") Slick constantly overachieved with the teams he had.

I love Bobby Leonard but he isn't nearly the best NBA coach. I think that is between Auerbach and Phil Jackson. Knight stands alone in college basketball in my mind. Wooden ran a dirty program so I won't even consider him.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

I love Bobby Leonard but he isn't nearly the best NBA coach. I think that is between Auerbach and Phil Jackson. Knight stands alone in college basketball in my mind. Wooden ran a dirty program so I won't even consider him.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

At the very least he turned his back on boosters making payments to his players. At worst, he condoned it. That is the reason that Knight never had any respect for Wooden and he rated many coaches like Iba ahead of him.......

At the very least he turned his back on boosters making payments to his players. At worst, he condoned it. That is the reason that Knight never had any respect for Wooden and he rated many coaches like Iba ahead of him.......

As I am gonna go ahead and say the resident John wooden expert, the reason knight didn't like him had nothing to do with the hillarious excuse you came up with there...Wooden was from Indiana (coached at Indiana state in fact) and many Alumni tried to compare Knight to Wooden, would get annoying after a while.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

As I am gonna go ahead and say the resident John wooden expert, the reason knight didn't like him had nothing to do with the hillarious excuse you came up with there...Wooden was from Indiana (coached at Indiana state in fact) and many Alumni tried to compare Knight to Wooden, would get annoying after a while.

What I said is quite true and Knight has commented on it in the past. There was a reason why Wooden got every great center, Walton, Alcindor and many more from all over the country. UCLA boosters made cash payments and gave gifts to these players. I suppose you don't want to hear that Rick Mount had a job checking coats at alumni events at Purdue and he received $100 tips. He worked a few nights per year and made thousands of dollars..... I don't suppose you would believe that either. I never said Wooden wasn't a great coach. Adolph Rupp was a great coach. Do you want to talk about the things that bigot and crook did?

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

What I said is quite true and Knight has commented on it in the past. There was a reason why Wooden got every great center, Walton, Alcindor and many more from all over the country. UCLA boosters made cash payments and gave gifts to these players. I suppose you don't want to hear that Rick Mount had a job checking coats at alumni events at Purdue and he received $100 tips. He worked a few nights per year and made thousands of dollars..... I don't suppose you would believe that either. I never said Wooden wasn't a great coach. Adolph Rupp was a great coach. Do you want to talk about the things that bigot and crook did?

I'm just confused why you seem to take moral cues from the NCAA.

If your opinion is certain coaches shouldn't be mentioned because they had unfair advantages that weren't available to others, I suppose I can understand that. It's a grey area that'd be impossible to really define, but I get it. But I don't get why in other threads you seem to think the NCAA's word makes people deplorable. I'm all for an even playing field, but seriously, screw the NCAA, their only interest is their financial gain.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

If your opinion is certain coaches shouldn't be mentioned because they had unfair advantages that weren't available to others, I suppose I can understand that. It's a grey area that'd be impossible to really define, but I get it. But I don't get why in other threads you seem to think the NCAA's word makes people deplorable. I'm all for an even playing field, but seriously, screw the NCAA, their only interest is their financial gain.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

I remember hearing that Eric Anderson had a job, while at IU, of basically turning on the sprinklers when he was at IU. So though no sanctions followed Knight, I'm sure his players got taken care of, it is the nature of having alumni who appreciate great teams. But hey, not all of the greatest talent won a championship. I can think of UNLV and the Fab 4 for starters. And I didn't give specific criteria, b/c everybody will have their own.

I personally think taking a team from loser to champ is a much greater difficult of dive, which is what Brown did, when contrasting with people like Phil Jackson. Jackson took great to champion teams over and over again. He's still a great coach, I just would love to see what he would do with a lesser quality of team.

“Seventy percent of me talking on the court is personally for me to get me
motivated and going. Thirty percent is to see if I can get into the opponent’s head.”Reggie Miller

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

I remember hearing that Eric Anderson had a job, while at IU, of basically turning on the sprinklers when he was at IU. So though no sanctions followed Knight, I'm sure his players got taken care of, it is the nature of having alumni who appreciate great teams. But hey, not all of the greatest talent won a championship. I can think of UNLV and the Fab 4 for starters. And I didn't give specific criteria, b/c everybody will have their own.

I personally think taking a team from loser to champ is a much greater difficult of dive, which is what Brown did, when contrasting with people like Phil Jackson. Jackson took great to champion teams over and over again. He's still a great coach, I just would love to see what he would do with a lesser quality of team.

You talking about Johnson, Augmon, Anthony, and Hunt? They won a title.

Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

I remember hearing that Eric Anderson had a job, while at IU, of basically turning on the sprinklers when he was at IU. So though no sanctions followed Knight, I'm sure his players got taken care of, it is the nature of having alumni who appreciate great teams. But hey, not all of the greatest talent won a championship. I can think of UNLV and the Fab 4 for starters. And I didn't give specific criteria, b/c everybody will have their own.

I personally think taking a team from loser to champ is a much greater difficult of dive, which is what Brown did, when contrasting with people like Phil Jackson. Jackson took great to champion teams over and over again. He's still a great coach, I just would love to see what he would do with a lesser quality of team.

For what it is worth a lot of these "champions" do not have rings with any other coach. Jackson is great.

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Re: Who is the best basketball coach of all time?

Bobby Knight, then probably Wooden and Coach K. However, Coach K has some serious coaching talent managing amateurs as well as he manages the most egotistical teams ever assembled, the US national team. So probably Knight, Krzyzewski, Wooden.

"What you do is so loud, I can't hear what you say" -Andrew Luck
"If you turn the other cheek, I'm gonna hit you in the other cheek, too" -Charles Barkley
"Ego is edging greatness out" -Rick Pitino

Sophomore at the University of Louisville
Greenfield-Central High School Alum '14
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In our exclusive interview last night with Hall of Fame legend Bobby Knight, Knight shared with CLNS Radio that at one point in their relationship, Red Auerbach asked Coach Bobby Knight to take over the helm of the Boston Celtics. It was done with the knowledge that Coach Knight never had any real interest in coaching any NBA team. But it was a gesture which showed just how much respect each man had for the other.

In response to the request from Red, Knight told Auerbach that he did not want to jeopardize one of the best friendships he ever had by accepting the position. To which Red answered, “who the hell would that be?” But all joking aside, Knight referred to Red as one of the greatest in terms of how to compete and approach the game of basketball. Their discussions included numerous dinners where student and teacher would exchange ideas and advice.

Knight was also quick to praise Red for the commitment he had to the Celtics. Even when, by all external measures, Red was suppose to be in the background, Knight inferred that Red’s influence was always strong throughout the Celtics organization. Though there are no contemporary comparisons to Red, Knight pointed to other personalities like Lombardi, and Paul Brown when he talked about Red’s impact on the Celtics and their legacy.

Truth be told, Bobby Knight has never been one to hold back about his feelings. And that theme rang unquestioned when he attributed to Red the significant influence he had over the Celtics and the game of basketball. To hear the Bobby Knight interview in its entirety,

Thanks to CLNS Radio’s Dr. John Naranja, CLNS Radio had a one-on-one exclusive interview with coach Bob Knight! Bob talked about his outdoor lifestyle, his relationship with Red Auerbach, and why he thinks Bill Russell is the most valuable player to ever play the game of basketball!